Thousands rally in support of Tibetan monks

Protesters in India and Taiwan show solidarity for Buddhist clergy alleging oppression in China.

19 Oct 2011 14:22 GMT

Thousands of people have staged rallies in India and Taiwan in a show of support against alleged Tibetan oppression in China.

Monks gathered at the memorial for Indian independence leader Mahatma Gandhi in India's capital, New Delhi, where they were joined by other religious leaders, while in Taiwan students found common cause with protesters.

The movement comes a day after a Buddhist nun died of wounds after setting fire to herself in China. Her protest came on the heels of the self-immolation of eight monks in China's Sichuan province this year.

Self-immolation is not a traditional form of protest in Tibetan society, but the Tibetan government in exile says it is trying to draw attention to how badly Tibetans are being treated in their homeland.

They are calling for an independent investigation into the treatment of Tibetans in China.